And in the night, you hear me calling
You hear me calling
And in your dreams you see me falling, falling...
It was so pretty.
Like nothing much else was needed to be said about the fact the great hall looked just as majestic as the ballroom within.
You couldn't tell from the outside that on the inside it looked this amazing.
It was all sparkly and full of diamonds. The huge chandelier in the middle above the dance floor was shimmering small dots of rainbow all over the room and adjoining other sparkles of rainbows from smaller sized chandeliers on the sides.
Despite all the number of those shiny things the light was kept more ambient than anything.
Besides the whole thing had some candlelight too. Although it wasn't feeling like the actual candle emitted light it still had this softness and warmth about it.
El's breath caught in her throat every single time she entered the building. While the outside made it feel old and half abandoned it was just a hoax to drive unwanted attention elsewhere. Because the scruff looking building held some majesty in it from the days long centuries ago. That was what El saw in it anyway. The material held some breath of times it lived through from what she felt touching the wall alone. It was the main floor outer decorative wall. In color it came close to a subdued stormy sky color. As if it could become a tornado cloud any moment. It felt unique coloring for a building but what it made unique was the sensational side of the place. The air it held and made people feel something. Almost magical feel of something that was long in the past but still wanted to be remembered.
So El kept admiring the wall while trying to work out details of how the inside should tie up with the exterior. But that was one part.
Other matter was the next exterior part. The upper façade that held another tone of color. It was much darker but at the sine time it had some sort of sheen over the base tone.
To El it reminded midnight sky blue mixed with silver and silvery-diamond flakes. Or something close to that.
In a way it looked eerily when the night hit. Because dark made it all look shimmer and very pretty while still kinda creepy.
Nonetheless it looked beautiful and majestic.
Now there was a large red carpet rolled out on the front because there was supposed to be entrance from the ground level as well.
But most important was the upper rooftop that will be hosting large number of guests from very high levels of society so the rest invitees which included all the lower level security staff and El's catering staff with the various amounts of reporters and people like that.
What the upper part brought was even more charm. There was also a red carpet but it was a different kind. It had very dark red hue- which oddly enough reminded her of blood, and such reminder for the woman made slightly squirmy on the inside- that was also looking silvery black.
Well while the colors in this world sometimes seemed weird and creepy they also were not only intriguing but also very beautiful and breathtaking.
El just hoped Neal would get to enjoy the whole deal. She didn't know full details yet as Peter kept some things from her regarding their favorite ex-con slash CI.
Now that the thought of her dear friend came back to her mind the woman couldn't push past the worry that has been eating her away for the past who-knows-how-long time. She knew Neal was struggling in some way. The whole rush and moving away from not just his home but the whole planet had thrown the man off some mental cliff and now he was left all by himself to survive. And all the weird isolation made her worry of Neal's mental state.
Even she or Peter got thrown off the balance and with all the mess they lost Satchmo somewhere on the ship. For a while both were really sad and stressed out because while animals were considered a hassle and burden many were still allowed either as service animals or very special pets. They got Satch allowed because of their status. Thanks to Peter being an FBI agent.
And then they found their dog among some of the lost luggage and animals and also with loads of new buddies that turned to be some lost FBI or police search dogs.
That night El felt like crying for a whole year because somehow the dog being lost for a bit was like most fear she had since some of the craziest moments with Neal with them. Sure she was a strong woman but sometimes she was just as scared and helpless as another next door.
Seeing their beloved dog returning back home made her feel maybe Neal will too. Because when she was being totally honest with herself she missed her cheerful and creative friend. Neal was really unique man and he deserved the chance to be the man he was trying so hard to become in those years since Peter took him in. It was in a way sad to see him not getting to have that life fully and mostly he just felt subdued.
El so badly wished to just head to their office and give that boss if theirs some piece of her mind. It all felt so unfair and she just couldn't help feeling trapped.
However El knew if there was one person feeling truly trapped it was Neal.
She spent enough time hearing about the so called quarantine period that was necessary for hard deal people to help adjusting.
Which in her book was straight under "bullshit" category. Not for a second the woman believed such crap. They simply didn't want to give Neal his freedom because he was exactly as unique as his file said so they just didn't know what exactly they were supposed to do with the man. Peter though, he bought the whole thing and just because he was who he was. Maybe he had some doubts or fears that he kept to himself, he never mentioned anything.
And that was point she hoped to get to speak to the man himself under the disguise of worried friend she was and behind mystery being her event. Because as she was going through the building and making notes of many tiny details regarding her job she couldn't help but also look up possible escape routes and dark corners to sneak into crevices for a talk. Neal had taught her well and not once she went home thankful of that. Neal was amazing at keeping such things on hand while being ready to spring any second. And to honest El felt she badly needed that too. Especially if her husband's work collided with his private life. Or when Neal's past decided to catch up and use his gentle nature that held deep care for people he loved that he was ready to sacrifice himself for them.
That was one thing El saw in the man and reason she forgave so much. Because since they one she felt he had a heart like nobody and while he mostly was decided dangerous or flight risk he was just protective of his family. And damn that deep loyalty. He was literally Satchmo in human clothes. It was adorable as hell but it also attracted trouble. Some that happened way too deep to get out of.
Breathe in the light
I'll stay here in the shadow
Waiting for a sign, as the tide grows
Higher, and higher, and higher...
El walked all the way through the building and realized each floor was holding a theme with minimal difference from the last. But was tying them all together was the diamond shimmer of every surface and rainbow spots from the chandeliers.
Amidst it all was many artifacts and art pieces. Something vaguely reminding of Met. And that was a line than this easily crossed it.
El almost had to wipe a tear from the corner of her eye. Emotions were starting to creep up and take over. But how it could not when every single inch of the place was calling Neal's name. Because there also were ice sculptures that somehow never showed signs of melting and some even looked like they were alive.
Most amazing and breathtaking part was the ballroom. The floor was incredible and El felt like all her childhood tales had come true.
It was color changing but also looked like water. But the actual vibe was of a large crystal alcove or even cave inside a crystalline mountain. And the colors reminded her of aurora borealis aka the northern lights. The special part came when feet touched it. Actually anything that touched the floor.
It literally shimmered with diamonds in all colors of rainbow or those aurora lights. The glow intensified when a feet touched it and it was so magical.
Then came the hallways that had black silvery shimmer covered soft carpets but when you touched the carpet with your feet it took up soft glow that strongly reminded of some sparkly nail polish El had week ago. Maybe she'll return to that to get her matched to the interior.
Because it all strongly reminded a movie El saw long ago where there was a planet that flowed at night when anything was touched. That was visually impressive in 3D and months after El felt the theme sticking with strong hold. Peter just giggled at her and kissed her for that.
That was like ten years ago. Well.. couple thousand actually.
Each shade of blue
Is kept in our eyes...
Secrets from the winds
Burnt stars crying...